Explosive.



2O either byignition or percussion, but which PATENT OFFICE.

HUDSON MAXIM, OF KOPATCONG, NEW JERSEY.

Patented Apr. 4, 191m Application'iiiled October 22, 1907. Serial No. 398,669.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUDSON MAXIM, of the borough of Hopatcong, county of Sussex, State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Explosives, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in explosive materials, particularly what are known as detonative compounds; that is to.say, compounds for detonating or exploding other high explosives, and also for igniting non-detonating high explosives such as gunpowder.

I have discovered that when finely pulverized or powdered metallic silicon or metallic calcium is mixed and thoroughly incorporated with red lead (gxid of lead) in proper proportions, a violently 'detonative material is formed, which t may be set oil at ordinary temperatures and in the absence of friction may be kept for any desired length of time. At elevated temperatures, however, the ox gen of the red lead attacks the metallic silicon or metallic calcium at the expense of the lead, and so much heat is liberated by the reaction that the lead is instantlythrown into a state of highly heated vapor with detonative violence.

It is well known that when an oxid such as iron oxid is incorporated with powdered metallic aluminum and ignited, an enormous quantity of heat is evolved, so great being the heat that this material, known as thermit, is

utilized for welding steel rails and for other purposes where an enormously high temperature needed to be localized on a given spot or limited area. Buttherinit is not explosive or detonative, for the reason that the iron volatilizes at too high a temperature and the temperature of reaction is not sufllciently high to instantly volatilize the iron, although the iron is made boiling hot. When, however, 'an oxid of a metal like lead, whose volatilizing point is much lower than that of iron, is employed, and where the heat of the reaction is still greater, all of the metallic lead set free by the reaction is thrown into a state of highly heated vapor with explosive violence. I have found, also, that a mixture of sodium per-oxid and finely pulverized metallic silicon produces a similar result, the oxygen of the sodium being given up to the silicon with explosive violence.

As the detonative violence or detonative and formed in the desired shapes.

efficiency of a detonator depends directly upon the weight or mass and temperature and volume of its products of combustion, it is necessary that the vapors or ases should be propelled from the center 0 detonation with great velocity and violence; and I have found, therefore, that the addition of a small percentage of nitroglycerin or guncotton, or a colloid of nitroglycerin and guncotton, or other explosive material capable of being resolved into gases, with also the evolution of a large amount of heat, adds materially to the detonative efliciency of detonators made according to my present invent-ion.

In carrying out the invention I first mix and thoroughly incorporate the lead oxid and the pulverized metallicsilicon, or calcium, as the case may be in the ratio, for example, of 80 to 90 parts of the former to 10 to 20 parts of either of the latter metals, and stir this mixture into a solution of about seven parts nitroglycerin to three parts gelatinized-pyroxilin or other form of guncotton formed with acetone or other suit-able solvent. The mass is then placed in a water bath and stirred until a sufiicientquantity of the acetone has been evaporated to leave the materials in a pasty mass." These are then rubbed through a screen or sieve, placed in a suitable -dry-room or oven, and the residuary acetone is evaporated out; an agglutinated granular product is the result,

capable, under warming and pressure, of being molded or compacted without dang'g into detonators, or into any desired shape" for use.

The proportions of the materialsI prefer are about as follows: 85 to 90 parts of the mixture of oxid of lead and metallic silicon or metallic calcium, and 10 to 15 arts of the mixture or compound of nitrog ycerin and guncotton. The nitroglycerin and guncotton mixture being completely dissolved in acetone or other suitable solvent, permeates all the spaces between the particles of the granular materials, and when evaporated as described, leaves all the particles of the lead oxid and the metallic silicon or calcium com pletely coated with a film of the nitroglycerin and guncot-ton colloid; that is to say, the particles are separated from one another and agglutinated by an elastic, rubbery, anti-friction substance, which renders the resultant compound very insensitive to shock and capable of being safely handled But as 'tion liberates a verylarge amount of heat,

the gases of the colloid serve-to propel the metallic particles'of-the lead set free by the reaction with very great violence against an adjacent explosive material required to be detonated. Furthermore, the ingredients of this detonative material beingwvery much less expensive than fulminate of mercury and other fulminates, a very large saving of expense is realized from the use of the detonative material made according to my present invention. The resultant compound alsofiinay be safely handled at ordinary temperatures and employed in primers for igniting or detonating explosives for blasting and other purposes, as well as in cartridges for firearms.

I do not desire to confine myself to the use of the red oxid of lead, as other metallic .'oxids', such as oxid of zinc, or a metallic peroxid such as sodium peroxid, may be employed.

As the quantity of heat set free by the reaction of oxid of lead or peroxid of sodium with metallic silicon is so great, I may and sometimes do add a non-explosive body capable of evolving a large volume of gases by absorbing the heat of the reaction, for which purpose any suitable hydrocarbon such. as paraiiin wax, kerosene oil, or a light hydro-carbon like gasolene, or any suitable carbohydrate or oil may be used. I also unaii'add a gas-producing ingredient, such as nitrate of ammonia,or a salt like carbonate of ammonia.

What s cla1med 1s 1. An explosive compound consisting of Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by Washington, I). C.

nated with an explosive colloid containing nitrocellulose.

2. Anyexplosive compound consisting of a mechanical mixture of an oxid of a metal having a low point of volatilization and a powdered metal having at high tempera- 6o tures a stronger afiinity for oxygen than that of the metal of the oxid, and agglutinated with an explosive nitrated body.

An explosive body consisting of an oxid of lead and silicon and an agglutinating body capable ofthe evolution 'of gases.

4. An explosive compound consisting of a mechanical mixture of an oxid of a metal having a low point of volatilizat ion and a powdered metal having at high temperatures a stronger aflinity for oxygen than that of the metal of the oxid, ammonium nitrate and an explosive agglutinating body.

5. An explosive body consisting of an oxid of lead and silicon agglutinated with ill). explosive colloid containing. nitrocelluose.

6. An explosive body consisting of an oxid of lead, silicon, ammonium nit-rate and an explosive colloid containing nitrocellulose.

7, Anexplosive compound consisting of a mechanical mixture. of an oxid of a metal ha'ving a low .point of volatilization and a powdered metal having-at high temperaturesa stronger. afiinity for oxygen than thatof the metal of the oxid and agglutinated with an explosive nitrated body and a restraining substance which is capable ofv v conversion into gases by the heat of the re-' action of said metal and metallic oxid.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

v HUDSON MAXIM. Witnesses:

AUGUSTUS S. BRYANT, LI IAN MAXIM.

addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 

